Fabrics are often used to cover surfaces and structures for aesthetic and functional purposes. For example, fabric treatments may be used as speaker grilles to conceal and protect the speaker elements. Fabric treatments are often used for lampshades which help decorate a room and soften the glow of the illumination source. Fabrics also may be used for wall or window treatments (both as curtains and on window cornices) which provide decoration and may also conceal installations, such as speakers, audio/visual devices or heating and cooling ducts. Fabrics also may be used for the modular divider screens that are commonly used to divide office space into one or more cubicles, thereby providing personal space and privacy for employees as well as providing acoustic damping and fire protection. Conventional office dividers allow the layout and appearance of the office space easily to be altered, either by rearranging the dividers, or simply by replacing the panels with new panels having fabrics of a different color and/or texture.
In many of these applications, the fabric treatments are affixed to a structural frame which gives shape to the fabric. For instance, conventional office dividers typically use a rigid steel or aluminum frame to which panels are affixed by fasteners or moldings. The panels typically have a rigid backing sheet, often pressed fiberboard or metallic fabrications, to which one or more layers of fabric are affixed. Speaker grilles, lampshades and window cornices also use frames over which the fabric is stretched and affixed.
Manufacture and installation of conventional fabric treatments can be complex, time consuming and expensive. For example, the outer layer of fabric applied to the structure, i.e., the layer visible when the structure is in use, will often include a decorative or otherwise visible weave pattern which is directional in nature. Because several structures may be used in conjunction, such as with office dividers or window treatments, it is important for the directional patterns to be oriented precisely and consistently from structure to structure. If the structures are not carefully matched, any difference between the orientation of the pattern between two adjacent structures may be glaringly apparent and highly unattractive. Treatments typically are applied by stapling or otherwise affixing the fabric to the structure. As a result, it is difficult to precisely align the fabric on the structure in a consistent manner. This problem is complicated by the fact that any wrinkles in the fabric are also unsightly. Thus, it is important to stretch the fabric tightly about the structure as it is being affixed. The stretching process creates a greater likelihood that the fabric will not be properly aligned. Moreover, the fabric must be gathered at corners, thus forming pleats or other flaps of material that are visible at the corner. Also, because many of the structures are heavy and unwieldy, such as fiberboard backers of divider panels, installation and replacement of the treatments may be difficult.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,579 to Anderson teaches a method for making a cover panel for an office divider comprising a multi-layer composite sheet. At least one layer, the backing layer is a non-woven material which may be formed or molded into a desired shape. Another layer of the sheet is a decorative fabric layer which may be bonded to the backing layer prior to the molding process to form a composite sheet. The composite sheet is then molded to form a panel suitable for use with a divider frame. Fasteners are positioned along the sides of the panel. The top and bottom of the panel are molded to form step-like flanges. The fasteners are used to affix the sides of the panels to the frame. The step-like flanges are captured between the frame and top and bottom frame caps. This process creates a panel that is sufficiently rigid to be used without a pressed fiberboard backing and sufficiently light to allow easy manipulation and installation. Moreover, because the fabric is formed with the backing sheet, it is more easily and precisely aligned, thus reducing the likelihood of misaligned and unsightly installations.
The Anderson panels do not, however, overcome all of the drawbacks associated with the installation and maintenance of office dividers. For example, Anderson describes panels that are affixed to frames with a series of fasteners or clips attached along two of the margins of the panel. The other two edges are formed to define stepped flanges which are captured between the frame and a cap or molding affixed to the frame. Thus, the manufacture of the panel is complicated by the need to attach a series of fasteners. Additional workstations and machinery must be provided to install the fasteners, thus increasing the cost of each panel. Moreover, when the panel is installed, the process is complicated by the need to secure the caps or moldings to the frame. In large installations, even the seemingly trivial act of securing one or two moldings per panel can dramatically increase the overall time required to complete the installation. Also, Anderson's panel forming method produces folds or pleats at the corners of the panels that may be unsightly. Moreover, Anderson's method would be difficult to use with more intricate treatments, such as lampshades and window treatments.
Thus, it is desirable to provide an easy to manufacture, moldable fabric treatment for office dividers, speaker grilles, lampshades, window and wall treatments and other decorative and functional applications; that may be installed with little or no need for additional fasteners or the use of caps or moldings to secure the panel in place; and that can be molded with corners without the need for pleats or flaps.